dennis j adams

The goal is nearer today than when you first started out.  The Lord has asked you do a great task for Him and then comes the period of doing what has been asked of you.  Sometimes it seems awful silly or even ignorant to do some things that will bring about the “finish” or the end of the beginning.  Let me explain about what I am expressing in this note this morning-The Lord asked a very important person in the Word to do something that most of us would not do.  In 2 Kings 5 Naaman was ask to do a small thing but because it did not measure up to his ego or his pride he became furious with the prophet Elisha.  But when he came to his senses because of his servant beseeching him to listen to the prophets’ direction he was cured of his sickness, namely leprosy.  How often does that happen?  When something is asked of you and it does not measure up to your standard or what you think should have been done.  Listen Elisha was not going over to the house of Naaman. Nor was he concerned about which river was the cleanest or the most popular.  What Elisha was concerned about was doing what the Lord had instructed Him to do and say.  The result brought about the praise from the king of Israel and God was glorified.  The prophet was not impressed with his, Naaman’s, office or title.  What he was impressed about was the miraculous power of God.  The Lord told him to wash seven times in the river and on the seventh time he would be healed.  Naaman could not have had the faith to accomplish this if it was not for the persistence of the servant.  What really makes sense to all this is that obedience to the direction of God will bring the result that God has not he result of a man’s prideful heart.  One other point that helps in this miraculous story is that the servant made more sense than the pride of a man’s heart.  Having a servant’s heart will always bring clarity to any situation and truly a servants heart is a heart that is full of faith.  I would imagine that Naaman wanted to quit after the second dip or maybe ever after the first but…I can almost here the servants’ voice saying ‘Just keep dipping a few more times and the promise of God will be fulfilled in you.’  As you read this remember just keep going and believe, you may be going into the river for the last time before your promise comes true.

Dennis